Situation Update: High floods expected after rains wreak havoc

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) today warned that the provinces of Sindh and Punjab are expected to face severe flooding in the coming days. A press release issued by the PMD said that water levels in the Indus River at Sukkur and Guddu barrages are constantly increasing and likely to attain exceptionally high flood level by September 13 and 14 in both provinces.

An official from Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that 139 people have died due to the rains and floods and 266 people injured. The deaths have occurred in Punjab, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan regions.

The Punjab government declared flood emergency in the province. Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director Nisar Ahmed said that as many as 95 deaths were reported in 18 districts of Punjab until Saturday night.

CWS-P/A’s team in Azad Jammu & Kashmir shared that heavy rains caused land sliding, flash floods, and floods in the local rivers and a total of 48 people were reported dead.

Ahmad Kamal, a spokesman for the PDMA shared, “We are dispatching tents and other relief items for those who have been affected because of rains and floods”. Kamal said the army was using helicopters and boats to evacuate people from affected areas and had set up nearly 50 relief camps to shelter them. He added that more than 4,000 homes across the country collapsed partially or completely, rendering thousands homeless.

Media sources showed devastation caused by raging flood waters that entered dozens of villages. Crops and livestock worth billions of rupees have also been destroyed and the revenue departments work to assess damage estimates.

CWS-P/A’s team in Azad Jammu & Kashmir also state that the affected families who have lost their houses have also lost food stock, WASH facilities, and all household assets including beddings, clothing, kitchen utensils, and other valuable assets. The landslides and floods have damaged 80% of the water supply schemes in the affected areas while standing crop of maize has been 60% damaged in the affected areas. In addition, agriculture lands have been damaged which has severally fractured local livelihoods. The most affected districts of the region include Bagh, Havali, Ponch/Rawalakot, Muzafarabad, and Sudhnoti.

The team added that homeless families living in mountainous areas presently reside with their neighbors, and homeless families from refugee and marginalized communities are living in tents, local schools, and other communal places. Currently, food sources come from relatives and local philanthropists. The Pakistan Army is carrying out rescue and relief operations in the far-flung areas while the Azad Jammu & Kashmir government works on compiling assessment data.

CWS-P/A Response:

CWS-P/A is closely monitoring the situation. Should any need arise, CWS-P/A emergency teams are ready to initiate response activities.